Wokingham

Wokingham Library has won an award for providing easy and fair access to people with disabilities from the Wokingham Area Access Group - WAAG.

The library was one of the businesses and community centres nominated for an award by members of the public as being access friendly to people with disabilities as well as parents with prams or pushchairs.

Members of Wokingham WAAG visited all nominated shops, business and community centres and judged the access they offer using a star award system based on criteria such as ease of access, signage and hearing loops. Organisations that found it difficult for planning reasons or lack of space to offer comprehensive access were given credit for helping customers in any ways they could.

After receiving the awards, Wokingham Library branch supervisor Gill Cheale said: “It is vital that libraries are available to everybody in the community and we were delighted to accept this award in recognition of the effort made to offer library services to all. Wokingham Library is not only a very accessible building but we also have volunteers who will deliver books to people who cannot reach the library under our Homebound Service.”

The awards were organised by WAAG, in partnership with the Wokingham Disability and Sensory Needs Partnership Board and were sponsored by the Wokingham Times newspaper. Mike Wooldridge, strategy and performance manager for Wokingham Borough Council presented the awards at the council’s Shute End offices on Friday May 18.

Wokingham Borough Council